


Correspondence

by afteriwake



Series: Welcome To The New Age [2]
Category: Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Zombies, Background Sherlock Holmes/Molly Hooper - Freeform, Gen, John is a Good Friend, Letters, Lonely Sherlock, Long-Distance Friendship, Male Friendship, Mycroft Delivers a Message, Mycroft IS the British Government, POV Sherlock Holmes, Post-Zombie Apocalypse, Quarantines, Sherlock Feels, Sherlock-centric, Zombie John
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-15
Updated: 2018-07-15
Packaged: 2019-06-11 01:40:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15304605
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/afteriwake/pseuds/afteriwake
Summary: Even though he had said he would cut off contact when he left to help the British Government find a cure for the resurging epidemic, John decides to send Sherlock a letter anyway.





	Correspondence

**Author's Note:**

> _Years_ after the original story in this series, I finally updated on my 20th fanfic writing anniversary! **marcceh** asked for a Sherlock-centric fic with the one-word prompt " _zombie_ " to help me celebrate my milestone and this is what came about.

He had forgotten how quiet Baker Street could be without company.

Not that Molly wasn’t there often. Since the turn in their relationship and John leaving to do his part to help deliver a more reliable cure, she had spent many more nights at Baker Street than her own home. He was almost sure if she was asked she would make the move permanent. And then there would be the quiet sounds of life being lived in the flat again.

But for now, when she was at Barts dealing with the last vestiges of her job, and he was alone with his thoughts, he wondered just how drastically the world could change with this new wrinkle. Whether John’s absence would be worth it all.

Whether it would make a difference.

Mycroft has said they couldn’t speak to anyone about what had happened at the morgue, and he knew that most people believed the official and not so utterly terrifying reason John had left. But with John cutting off contact completely, all he could do was hope he was being treated well and that the sacrifice he had made would be worth it all.

It was late at night, with his violin sitting untouched on his lap for at least a few hours, though the exact amount of time he’d been unsure of when his brother came in with a letter. He said nothing and Sherlock was rather content to ignore his presence until Mycroft cleared his throat. “It’s from John.”

Sherlock took the note and looked at it. “Bad news?”

“No. There is some progress, though minimal. But the mental health staff thought it would be best if John had a lifeline to the outside world. There can be other communication in the future, but for now, it will have to be letters.”

Sherlock nodded and then looked up at his brother. “I assume I’m to burn it after reading it?”

“That would be preferred, but you can show it to Miss Hooper so that she is less worried about him as well.” Mycroft clasped his hands together. “He is well, or as well as can be expected. I can assure you of that. If things were to change, I would use all my power to have him removed. Have you all sent somewhere...safe.”

“It isn’t safe anywhere anymore, Mycroft,” Sherlock said quietly, beginning to unseal the letter.

“One can hope that will not remain so in the future,” Mycroft said. Sherlock went back to ignoring him fully as he pulled the letter out of the envelope. It was definitely John’s handwriting, and the flow to it looked as though there was no coercion in the writing of the letter. It was not very long, but considering John had always preferred to type with his own pecking method and he had not seen him do much more than take the occasional noted by hand, he supposed that made sense. It could also indicate there was not much happening to him, or at least much he felt keen to share.

_Sherlock,_

_Before you worry, I’m being treated well. My diet has actually upgraded a bit; the raw meat I get is superior to the stuff I had at Baker Street, as they want my diet to be as clean as possible. I get plenty of sleep, and I have access to the telly and my laptop, though sending emails out isn’t allowed. Maybe later, once there’s a good handle on the situation._

_The tests don’t involve me giving much of myself. Some tissue, some bodily liquids. Strangely enough, I’m able to regenerate some of what I give them, which I don’t know is worrying or not. But if it helps them get the samples they need I suppose it’s alright for now. I do miss the lab at Barts and the experiments you did at home. Everything here is very sterile and white and it constantly smells like antiseptic. I know, I was a doctor, I should be used to it, but...enhanced senses, apparently._

_Tell Molly and Mrs. Hudson I miss them, and maybe one day, if we’re lucky, this will all be over and I can return home._

_Your friend,_   
_John_

Sherlock carefully folded the letter and slipped it back into the envelope before setting the envelope on the table next to him and running his fingers over the strings of his violin. One could only hope John’s optimism held true, in the end, but for now, he would prefer to remember better days until the flat filled with sound again.


End file.
